Chapter 52: The Ultimate Technique Was an Ultimate Technique
The tunnel where miners and children had been holding out.
They removed the last rock blocking the entrance.
"Now, you can co out!"
While the fight continued, Yi Gwangsam had exchanged contact with the trapped people using signals only miners knew.
Seems they could convey aning through sounds of knocking on tunnels.
"So people are weakened. We need help."
"Don't worry. We'll support them. Since we're martial artists, feel free to lean your full weight."
So martial artists opened the passage with Yi Gwangsam.
The result of rushing work without stopping from outside and inside— imdiately after the fight ended, miners and children succeeded in erging into the central tunnel.
One old man walked out on his own feet though staggering.
"Old Master Dang."
Yi Gwangsam approached him.
"Oh. Gwangsam, you succeeded."
"Old Master Dang. Thanks to these people. They rescued the children who went out with and defeated all the Black Path bastards."
The miners' leader, Dang Yang, looked around.
"How did these people know about this place..."
People's gazes wandered to each other and finally gathered on .
Because I was the only person who could explain all the flow of events.
"I'm Ink Sword Hero Jin Yeomyeong. What happened was—"
From Sang Jinhwa witnessing the fire, to her finding , to requesting Luoyang's White Path and attacking this place—I briefly explained the process.
"If it's fire, probably the fire we started during our first escape attempt."
"I see. Thanks to that fire, this place beca known."
Dang Yang briefly closed his eyes.
"That day, there was an escape attempt earlier than planned. But we were blocked. We retreated back into the tunnel while sealing the passage."
After not continuing for a mont, he opened his mouth again.
"Several miners bought ti by setting fires."
"Those people..."
"Lost their lives."
"..."
"I don't regret the escape attempt, but my heart ached thinking their lives disappeared in vain."
"That's not true. Without those people, we couldn't have known about this place."
Dang Yang closed his eyes.
"That's right. It wasn't in vain."
Seems the faces of miners who went first were passing inside his closed eyes.
anwhile, I turned my eyes to see children receiving separate care over there.
My eyes t one of them.
Perhaps ten years old.
He grinned—just happy to co outside.
I'd heard the details from Yi Gwangsam.
Miners threw their lives for those children.
"Absolutely. It wasn't in vain."
The adults' appearance most intensely engraved in children's eyes—
the miners remained like that.
"Thanks to that, we could co here."
Without them, would have never known in the end.
Even before regression, matters about this mountain weren't revealed.
Though miners' rebellion probably existed back then too.
I swept my gaze over not only Dang Yang but miners and children.
'Then all these people died back then.'
Whether as examples of rebellion or massacre to destroy evidence—they died and disappeared without anyone knowing.
Luoyang people didn't know, I didn't know.
Did Sang Jinhwa know? Perhaps she too was hard related to this matter?
'Glad I ca back.'
Not only Taebok but countless people could be saved.
Setting aside sentints—
"Old Master Dang. First co to Luoyang following the martial artists. These people will guide you to a physician. Soone called Jang Huigun—a physician who also treats children well—rest your body there."
"Won't the hero co together?"
"I must go sowhere first. I'll see you again at the physician's."
Dang Yang reached out grasping my sleeve.
"Definitely, definitely co. I have words for you."
While muttering alone—
"Seems the hero should take it anyway..."
Perhaps the treasure map story Yi Gwangsam ntioned.
Though I'm not greedy, can't let it go to the wrong person.
"Yes, I'll definitely co."
Definitely.
At this answer, Dang Yang seed relieved and released my sleeve.
Now then.
Leaving him, I headed toward the advance party I'd ford.
"Let's go. To Luoyang. To the Murim Alliance branch."
To behead the Black Path King.
***
Murim Alliance Luoyang Branch.
Deputy Branch Leader Gong Pilsang's office.
However, the person sitting at the desk now wasn't Gong Pilsang.
Dalkeok—Gong Pilsang entering through the door was startled looking at him.
"Branch Leader?"
The person sitting at his desk was Branch Leader Hwangbo Gak.
"Deputy Branch Leader, where have you been? Your clothes also seem a bit dirtier."
Hwangbo Gak looked at Gong Pilsang with a slight smile—binggeut.
'What? Sohow the smile seems different from usual.'
Though Gong Pilsang felt sothing strange—
"Yes. I visited rchant Hwang. Since you said last ti to look after him directly. The clothes being dirty is because dust wind blew on that road."
He first answered the Branch Leader's question.
He'd said to personally handle wealthy figures. He faithfully implented his words.
"Ah, I see."
Hwangbo Gak nodded.
anwhile, Gong Pilsang swept the desk top. His work docunts were up there.
"Ah, about this."
Noticing Gong Pilsang's gaze, Hwangbo Gak lifted one sheet showing it.
"I wondered if I left too much only to you. Though external work is busy, I thought I should occasionally share work."
"You, Branch Leader?"
"..."
"Ah, I misspoke."
Gong Pilsang made a gesture of covering his mouth.
Inside, his thoughts differed.
After leaving everything until now, suddenly acting like this—what wind blew?
"Deputy Branch Leader, but look. Isn't this docunt content sowhat strange?"
"What?"
Finding fault after examining docunts he'd never looked at?
For Gong Pilsang who'd continued organizational life, this was an all too familiar situation.
Perhaps intending to point out typos.
He looked at the docunt with unpleasant feelings.
However—
"Look at this docunt. The branch purchased an inn at the dock outside Luoyang."
"Yes. I see."
Hwangbo Gak narrowed his eyes watching Gong Pilsang's reaction.
"This place."
"Yes."
"Isn't this the inn Iron Hook Gang who were recently annihilated by Jin Yeomyeong used?"
"..."
Gong Pilsang looked again with force in his eyes.
"Ah... Seems so."
"Seems so?"
Hwangbo Gak picked up another docunt.
"Look at this too. The branch guaranteed Luoyang's native Black Path sect selling a gambling hall. Branch guaranteeing Black Path sects' affairs."
Gong Pilsang also looked at the docunt with force in his eyes.
"Yes. That content seems correct..."
Hwangbo Gak and Gong Pilsang's gazes t in empty space.
"These docunts you created."
"Yes."
"Contain content of the branch giving Black Path convenience."
"Yes."
"How did this happen?"
With the question, Hwangbo Gak slowly rose.
As if pressed by that montum, or seeking a good position, Gong Pilsang changed where he stood.
"Try answering."
"..."
Rather than answer to the words to try answering, silence flowed.
Quietly—the eyes of Hwangbo Gak looking at him.
Silently—Gong Pilsang's eyes eting his gaze.
Eventually—Gong Pilsang's two hands rose up—
and applauded.
Jjak jjak jjak jjak.
"Hahahaha. Branch Leader! To make such jokes! I also quite love jokes."
Jjak jjak jjak jjak.
"Hahahaha. Weren't they all the Branch Leader's instructions? I rely used my authority to decide."
Jjak jjak jjak jjak.
"Hahahaha, didn't you say to keep weak Black Path within surveillance range, so I did so?"
Hwangbo Gak rely accepted the noisy applause and laughter with a slight smile—binggeut.
Without any words.
Jjak, jjak, jjak—the applause sounds subsided.
"Ha, ha, haaah. It was strange anyway. You said weak Black Path and also said you'd look after them directly. But seeing Jin Yeomyeong catch them, weren't they all vicious rather than weak Black Path?"
Gong Pilsang exploded with suppressed doubts.
"What about giving convenience to Great Ocean, Xinyang, Banyang Trading? You said to maintain good relations with the comrcial world. No, weren't those places not just trading companies?"
Yet Hwangbo Gak's smile didn't disappear.
"What about that place? The mine near Banggachon. Is that really a mine? The Alliance mber sent there said the atmosphere was strange."
The last doubt.
Black Path sects, trading companies—anyway, all gone now.
But Banggachon's mine still remained as is.
"Is that place okay to leave like that?"
Haah, haah—before he knew it, Gong Pilsang's breath quickened.
Because of spitting out doubts he'd pressed and pressed down.
The recent ten days—facts completely different from facts he'd known popped out. If just one or two things, would have passed over. But continuously, continuously different facts popped out.
Thinking he'd spoken the last doubt, one more question popped out following the tail of surfacing facts.
"Did you... deceive ?"
Though startled after saying it, soon forgot.
Right, this is curious.
What really wanted to ask was this.
"Hmm."
Against Gong Pilsang's doubt, Hwangbo Gak brought out an answer.
"Splendid."
"What?"
"Very splendid."
An unexpected answer.
Not solving the doubt at all, rather only increasing doubt more—
"Will the Deputy Branch Leader escape like that? Making it work I ordered?"
"Ah."
The smile disappeared from Hwangbo Gak's face. With stern eyes, he looked down at Gong Pilsang.
"Escape with the excuse it was the Branch Leader's instructions? That I, the Alliance Leader's blood relative, backed Black Path? Will that excuse work? Do you really think you can escape with that?"
He burst out thunderous scolding.
Rage filled the room.
"However, what about this? These docunts."
Hwaaak—thrown docunts fluttered.
"Who approved these docunts? Budget execution for related matters? Who sent Alliance mbers to Banggachon mine?"
"Th-that's why what ordered that—"
Hwangbo Gak's finger pointed at Gong Pilsang.
"All evidence points toward you."
As if shooting earth wind, Gong Pilsang was pushed back.
"No, such. No. That's precisely a sche for you to escape—"
"As Luoyang Branch's Branch Leader, as Hwangbo Clan mber, I'll punish one who plotted conspiracy inside the Alliance."
Kwaaang—Hwangbo Clan's Heavenly King Divine Fist unfolded.
The Alliance-supplied desk between Hwangbo Gak and Gong Pilsang couldn't be any obstacle. Shattered in an instant.
"Damn!"
Gong Pilsang also urgently thrust out fist strikes.
Heavenly King Divine Fist containing powerful force.
Missing even one strike would burst his head.
"Revealing your identity! To lay hands on the Branch Leader!"
"What words when you tried killing first!"
"Lower your hands and receive punishnt!"
"If I lower hands, I'll die!"
Gong Pilsang raised inner power.
"Are Gong Clan's Thirteen Techniques easy! Though like this, refined through generations. Keuk!"
Was too much.
Gong Clan's Thirteen Techniques were sowhat on the easy side.
Instantly cornered.
"Nothing else? Is Gong Clan's Thirteen Techniques the end!"
Gong Pilsang spun pulling out a mace.
"Gong Clan's Thirteen Blade Tech—, keeek!"
"Isn't that the sa thing!"
The mace flew embedding in the wall.
"There is! There's a final ultimate technique!"
Unable to even flee in the narrow room, Gong Pilsang urgently shouted.
"Really? Bring it out!"
Heavenly King Divine Fist flew cutting through air.
Unless truly proper ultimate technique, would die soon.
Gong Pilsang brought out the hidden ultimate technique.
The ultimate technique that saved his life every crisis mont while living.
"Soone please save eeee!"
Rescue request.
"Just die!"
Dumbfounded, Hwangbo Gak added to the divine fist's speed.
However.
The ultimate technique was an ultimate technique.
Kwaaaang—the door burst out as Jin Yeomyeong jumped in.
"Jin Yeomyeong?!"
Facing surprised Hwangbo Gak—
Jin Yeomyeong rebuked Gong Pilsang.
"Didn't I say to hide so we wouldn't run into each other!"
Gong Pilsang answered in a nearly dying voice.
"Ca to get sothing and just happened to run into him..."
Jin Yeomyeong's Luoyang White Path summons.
Among them, only one person—requested to hide rather than summon.
Gong Pilsang hung his head while receiving Jin Yeomyeong's scolding.
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