The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 351
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 351
Amjeon.
My eyes widen at Yoo Cheon-gil’s words. It was a name I had heard before. No—anyone in the Central Plains would be absolutely unable to not know of such an existence.
‘The sovereign of the Dark Realm, who does not concern himself with righteous or demonic affairs.’
The Dark Realm is a separate organization that existed even during the era when the righteous and demonic factions were divided.
They specialize in taking payment to kill someone.
Though called heterodox sects, they cannot be precisely classified as such. Even the heterodox sects fear or despise them.
If the price is right, they listen to the righteous, the heterodox, or even the Demonic Cult itself.
The assassination organization known as the Dark Realm is more numerous than one might think, difficult to approach, yet their existence is a known fact.
And.
‘Among such assassins.’
The most supreme existence.
The master of night and the deity of assassins.
‘Amjeon….’
That is precisely Amjeon. Silently and without fanfare. Once he accepts a contract, he never fails to complete it, or so they say.
He has never once failed a contract he accepted.
There are many strong assassins, but if one asks who is the strongest, everyone would name Amjeon.
As a joke.
‘If he had sided with the righteous in the Righteous-Demonic War, the war would have been far easier.’
They say he could kill the Celestial Demon if he wished.
Though I doubt it, that is the public perception.
Of course.
‘Amjeon and the entire Dark Realm did not participate in the war.’
Whether for the Demonic Cult, the righteous, or the heterodox.
They did not lean toward any single side. Complete neutrality.
In fact, they did not even accept contracts during the war, or so it was said.
Considering this.
‘They really do seem like mere mercenaries seeking profit.’
Then what does Yoo Cheon-gil mean now? That Amjeon killed the Maehua Daeju?
Hearing this, I narrowed my widened eyes again.
‘…Certainly.’
It is strange to call it suicide. There are more than one or two odd aspects.
Especially.
‘The brow.’
What is with that brow? Why is the trace of spiritual essence so vivid there? To the eye, there appears to be nothing amiss.
Yet the spiritual essence seems concentrated on that forehead. What is this about?
If I examine the cause of death, it appears he died from excessive bleeding from a wrist wound.
‘I don’t understand.’
I cannot fathom how this was done. This is my first time seeing such a case.
‘Should I mention that Amjeon has made a move?’
It’s not suicide. When I thought I should mention it.
[Don’t.]
Yoo Cheon-gil speaks with finality.
[Amjeon is the type who focuses on keeping his methods hidden. But if he realizes you know and start digging into it, he might make a move. If that happens….]
‘You mean I die.’
If Amjeon targets me, I die without exception. That’s what Yoo Cheon-gil’s words conveyed.
‘…So I’m in a situation where I have to pretend not to know even though I do?’
Honestly, whether the Maehua Daeju lived or died didn’t matter to me. The real problem was simply Amjeon himself.
‘It’s better to pretend ignorance than have him target me.’
The question was why Amjeon killed the Maehua Daeju in the first place.
I looked at Yoo Cheon-gil and asked with my eyes.
‘Do you know Amjeon?’
Amjeon, who lived while thoroughly concealing his identity. I wondered if Yoo Cheon-gil might actually know him too.
[I don’t. At least, I don’t know anything about his identity.]
“….”
It’s strange. There’s something Yoo Cheon-gil doesn’t know.
[Do you think I know everything?]
Usually he knows everything, so I assumed he’d know this too.
Yoo Cheon-gil looks at me with an exasperated expression.
[That’s how dangerous that man is. It was the same when I faced him.]
‘You’ve seen him before.’
[Once. He came to kill me.]
‘What?’
He came to kill Yoo Cheon-gil? But….
‘How are you still alive?’
[…Is there something wrong with me being alive?]
No, that’s not what I meant.
‘It doesn’t make sense.’
Amjeon is someone who has never failed a single contract.
Yet he came to kill Yoo Cheon-gil, and Yoo Cheon-gil is still alive.
So it wasn’t a failure?
[Well, it wasn’t a contract, so that would explain it.]
“Huh?”
Not a contract? Then what was it?
[I stole something from him.]
“….”
[So he tried to kill me and take it back. He was truly relentless.]
He shakes his head as if thoroughly disgusted.
So he nearly died because of his own actions? What kind of madman steals from Amjeon?
[Well, of course he couldn’t take it in the end. Hahahaha.]
He didn’t even give it back. This old man is truly….
‘A man who deserves to die.’
The more I heard of his misdeeds, the more he seemed like someone deserving death. How could he steal from Amjeon?
‘No… that’s not what matters right now.’
The one who killed Maehua Daeju. According to Yoo Cheon-gil, it was Amjeon. And.
‘I was told not to reveal this.’
The moment I show my hand, I could become Amjeon’s target.
I reminded myself of that.
“Wol-hyeop.”
Yeo Hyeok speaks to me.
“Did you perhaps discover something?”
Had I gleaned some information from Maehua Daeju’s corpse? At that question, I shook my head.
“No. It appears to be suicide after all.”
“…Ah. I see.”
Yeo Hyeok seems strangely disappointed. Seeing that, I asked.
“Does the Master think it was not suicide?”
“Ah, that’s not quite it….”
Yeo Hyeok gazes at Maehua Daeju’s corpse with somewhat troubled eyes.
“Still. I merely hoped that the final moment of one who once sought to bloom as a great plum blossom in Hwasan would not end in such futility.”
“….”
A traitor, perhaps, yet still his former master.
He did not wish for his final moments to end in suicide.
‘Hmm.’
At those words, I gazed upon Maehua Daeju.
In any case.
‘There was nothing more to conclude.’
I place no meaning in the death of the wicked.
Even if he were virtuous rather than wicked, it would be no different. He is one who could not even leave his soul properly behind.
Amjeon’s involvement was unforeseen.
‘There would have been no honor in your final moments.’
Whatever his ending, Maehua Daeju’s conclusion was far removed from glory.
Rather.
‘Perhaps I should find meaning in dying on the same day as Maehwa Ilgeom.’
That too would be a kind of meaning.
With that thought, I turned away.
I offer no sympathy to one who has already crossed the line.
“Ah. Now that I think of it.”
Just as I was about to leave, I paused for a moment.
“What is it?”
Yeo Hyeok looks at me and tilts his head in confusion. Seeing him, I opened my mouth to speak but stopped.
“No, it is nothing.”
The name of the Maehua Daeju.
Or perhaps his Daoming.
I was about to ask, thinking I hadn’t heard it properly, but….
‘There’s no need.’
A name I need not remember.
Not in the future either.
* * *
The Maehwa Ilgeom had died, and now the Maehua Daeju as well.
The news spread throughout the entire Hwasan Sect.
There was nothing to hide about it anyway. The atmosphere and circumstances were quite different from Seongheon’s time.
This was the death of a traitor.
No matter that a Great Being had perished—to Hwasan, he remained nothing but a traitor.
“Suicide, they say….”
“…Priest. So he departed in the end.”
The Elders who had spent time with him as fellow disciples showed quiet reactions, their resentment toward the traitor mingled with affection.
“I’m uncertain what we should do now.”
The Elder who appeared to be the highest-ranking among them spoke.
“We cannot leave the position of Sect Leader vacant.”
Who should ascend to the position of Sect Leader? Opinions lined up on this matter.
“It is premature at this moment.”
“But….”
“Priest. The Sect Leader has only just departed from us.”
“….”
“I understand your concern for Hwasan. But the timing is far too soon.”
“…I understand.”
“That is our position. Now then, what are your thoughts, Wol-hyeop?”
This time the question was directed at me.
Since the matter was nearly concluded, I found myself among the Elder council.
…This must mean the matter is not yet fully resolved.
“I too believe it is premature. Above all else.”
I shifted my gaze slightly to observe the Elders.
“The conspirators may not be limited to just one Elder.”
“….”
The expressions of the Elders darkened.
The Maehua Daeju had been a conspirator, and beneath him, several Plum Blossom Sword Masters were conspirators as well.
There was no reason to be certain they were not among the Elder council itself.
‘I am watching, after all.’
Two of the Elders. They are conspirators. The ones now advocating for a new Sect Leader to be chosen.
‘What should I do?’
I pondered. They needed to be dealt with too. But how could I manage this?
I could fabricate justification.
I could construct the process however I wished. The problem was.
‘What I could gain through such entanglement.’
Was there anything worth obtaining by delving deeper here? Further involvement could prove somewhat dangerous.
Thinking thus far, I spoke to the Elders.
“First, I shall investigate whether there are more conspirators. Since we’ve already opened the path… it likely won’t take long.”
First came provocation.
At my words, the conspirators’ energy rippled.
* * *
I left the chamber.
There was nothing more to discuss in the meeting.
I’d given them the provocation, so now I needed to observe how the Elders would move. This was something to entrust to Yoo Cheon-gil.
Moreover.
‘I should make use of Gwima.’
If I utilized him, matters would unfold smoothly. Wouldn’t they?
‘If only he would move exactly as I command.’
I wasn’t certain whether I could truly trust Gwima.
‘…What I can trust, at least.’
Is that I can exploit the Magi within Gwima.
‘Is this the Celestial Demon’s gift…?’
Something the Celestial Demon had given me.
That vague and incomprehensible thing was quite unpleasant, but it seemed necessary if I were to utilize Gwima.
‘…Tch.’
Manipulating Gwima through the Magi. The Celestial Demon’s words echoed in my mind, and my stomach churned repeatedly.
‘The Celestial Demon told me to become one.’
To become a new Celestial Demon.
Was such a thing even feasible? I’d already become Geomseong’s Predecessor—what Celestial Demon could I possibly become?
‘Even one burden is too much.’
I’d already strayed far from the ordinary. I had no desire to become entangled in further strangeness.
Creeeeak.
“Sigh….”
I exhaled as I opened the chamber door.
“…For now, I should return to Hanan first—”
Just as I was about to add more to Yoo Cheon-gil, as if he’d been waiting.
[Young Master.]
Yoo Cheon-gil spoke.
Sensing the inflection in his voice, my body went rigid.
I cooled my gaze to ice.
In the dead of night, Wol-an opens his eyes.
Whoosh.
Suddenly, a lamp ignites within the room.
I did not do it.
Nor was it the wind.
Clang.
My hand moves to the sword at my waist. Even as I raise my vigilance to its peak.
Tap.
Something touches the tip of my chin.
“…!”
Sharp.
The blade’s edge. When did it touch me? I hadn’t even perceived it.
Then.
“You.”
A voice echoes from mere inches away. In my field of vision where nothing existed moments before, something gradually materializes.
“You sensed me.”
It was the Cloaked Figure, wrapped entirely in black cloth.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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