The Terminally-Ill Side-Character Inside of a Martial Arts Novel

Jeok Biwol chuckled at my words and leaned back. She stared at me intently in that position, then crossed her arms and raised her chin.

I stared blankly at her appearance, then suddenly recalled the fact that Jeok Biwol had caused trouble in the north.

Because of Jeok Biwol, the Murim Alliance couldn’t focus all their efforts on the Huai River at a time when they should have, and in the end, Geum Hyul had to head north. Thanks to him disappearing with half of the Yeonwi Left Army, the search at the Huai River was easier.

“Why? Do you have something to say?”

Jeok Biwol raised her chin at my gaze staring blankly at her.

“No. I’m just curious.”

“About what?”

“Why the Golden Blood Sand Sect suddenly caused trouble when things were going well. And not just any trouble, but provoking the Murim Alliance by poisoning one of their masters.”

“Well, it’s a common reason. They kept being annoying and picking fights with pointless things, so I was reminded of previous incidents and taught them a little lesson. Why? Don’t tell me you think I committed such an act to buy you time? Hoho, the siblings think alike.”

I turned my gaze from Jeok Biwol to examine said sibling Moyong Do.

Moyong Do, who had been conversing with Hyuk Dojin, seemed to feel my gaze and turned his head to smile faintly. I smiled back at his smile, then looked at Jeok Biwol.

“Come to think of it, I couldn’t ask. Why are you with my brother? Brother should have been on his way back to the Moyong clan in Liaoning.”

“Ah, that? It’s nothing much. Hero Moyong Do and I developed into a deep romantic relationship…”

“Don’t make such creepy jokes.”

I cut off Jeok Biwol’s words immediately. Jeok Biwol clicked her tongue slightly when her words were interrupted. She glanced behind briefly, then continued speaking nonchalantly.

“Hero Moyong Do came to me directly. Saying he needed help.”

“Help…?”

I thought about whether there would be anything Moyong Do would need to request help from Jeok Biwol for, but nothing particular came to mind.

Even if he needed Jeok Biwol’s help because of me, the possibility that Moyong Do would be aware of my situation was almost none.

The Demon Cult’s return route was top secret. So unless it was an information agency like the Golden Blood Sand Sect, it would be difficult to quickly grasp it.

When I slightly narrowed my brows, Jeok Biwol nodded her head once.

“He said his sister seemed to be in danger and he needed my help. He said he needed to go to you but didn’t know where you were or what the situation was, so he requested my help. So stop giving me that look as if I might have approached Hero Moyong Do and done something strange, will you?”

Jeok Biwol slightly raised her eyebrows and put strength in her eyes. After quietly listening to her words, I smacked my lips and turned my head.

“You do so many strange things and say so many strange things that I can’t help but be suspicious, you know. Right?”

“I know that, but I’m innocent this time. Rather, I helped if anything.”

Jeok Biwol lowered her voice while pointing behind.

“I guided Hero Moyong Do here and even helped make your medicine, but you’re suspicious from the start. It’s upsetting.”

“That’s…”

“Even before that, I’ve treated you and helped you many times, surely you’re not trying to settle it with just one word of thanks? I’ve already heard thanks just now, so that’s enough, now show some sincerity?”

Jeok Biwol’s appearance of openly demanding didn’t feel good, but she wasn’t wrong. I opened my mouth with a sour face.

“What do you want?”

“Moyong Do.”

“…”

You’re persistent, really persistent. I let out a long sigh, glanced at Moyong Do, then spoke bluntly.

“…Do as you please. I’m not in a position to say anything about my brother’s affairs anyway, and as long as you’re not going to eat him up and use him, there’s no problem with however you meet. I won’t interfere, so do whatever you want, roast him or fry him.”

At my words mixed with a sigh, Jeok Biwol grinned and raised her chin. It was an expression as if saying don’t forget those words.

Hiding my uneasy feeling, I ran my hand through my hair, and Moyong Do approached after finishing his conversation.

“Sowol. How are you feeling?”

“Much better. But, what brings you here, Brother? I thought you had returned to Liaoning.”

“Various things happened, so I came in a hurry. I heard on the way that your medicine was all burned and your body condition wasn’t good… I’m glad you look much better now.”

I smiled brightly at his gaze examining me with concern.

“But what happened? For you to come all the way here again, turning back from thousands of li away because you were suddenly worried about me…”

I asked carefully. However, an answer didn’t come easily.

Moyong Do’s tightly closed lips in a straight line didn’t open easily. For someone who knew Moyong Do’s personality like me, that appearance felt unfamiliar.

Moyong Do always smiled at me saying there was no problem, even if there was a big issue or urgent matter.

The only time Moyong Do showed his emotions most intensely was when I left the clan.

The fact that the mouth of the man who always patted my shoulder saying it was okay anytime wouldn’t open easily meant it was that important an issue. Without pressing, I waited for his answer, and Moyong Do’s mouth opened slowly.

“You have many enemies. Far more than I thought.”

“…?”

“I didn’t know there were so many people who wanted the life of my sister, who finds it difficult to even just breathe quietly. I feel pathetic and stupid for thinking you could spend peaceful days again if you returned to the Demon Cult and leaving for Liaoning, as so many around you are aiming for that neck of yours.”

Moyong Do sat down calmly in the chair and took my hand. His hand gently stroked the back of my hand. When I slightly lowered my gaze, his voice was heard.

“It’s truly a sad reality that others are desperate to break this wrist that’s so thin I’m embarrassed to grip it tightly.”

“…Brother?”

Moyong Do stared at my wrist for a long time, quietly stroking it, then slowly raised his head.

He met my eyes and seemed to be thinking about something, then finally opened his mouth.

“The Murim Alliance Leader promised me the position of next Murim Alliance Leader.”

The words that came out of his mouth were so shocking that I couldn’t react and just blankly opened my mouth.

But the next words were even more shocking.

“Instead, he put the condition of wanting me to personally kill you and bring you.”

* * *

The conversation with Moyong Do wasn’t very long. The words Moyong Do brought up were quite shocking and not easy to accept with a clear mind.

In the end, thanks to Hyuk Dojin mediating the conversation, I was able to escape the shock and quietly organize my thoughts alone.

While I was quietly sitting on the bed looking out the window, the sound of the door was heard and Hyuk Dojin entered.

He was on his way back after guiding Moyong Do and Jeok Biwol. As soon as he came close and sat in the chair, I opened my tightly closed mouth.

“That man.”

I turned my head to face Hyuk Dojin.

“What do you think he’s thinking?”

“Namgoong Baek… the Murim Alliance Leader?”

“Yes. And if we add to that, including Lee Jehak of the Black Dao Sect, all of them. What on earth do they want? Do they really want my life?”

I slightly lowered my eyes while caressing the wound on my shoulder.

Many people with intertwined interests wanted me dead. There were quite a few in the Demon Cult, and even more in the righteous sects.

But now it felt like it wasn’t something that could end with simply wanting my life. So I opened my mouth.

“I’ve lied before.”

“Lied?”

“Yes. On the last day of the martial arts competition. That day when I participated in the match, enraged at the sight of the Moyong clan being miserably defeated. I brushed it off saying Lee Jehak didn’t say much to me, but that wasn’t true. Lee Jehak…”

I exhaled deeply and recalled the words Lee Jehak had said. While thinking with narrowed eyes, I spoke slowly.

“Lee Jehak wanted me. He said if I took his hand, he would cure this disease and make me the hegemon of the Central Plains. He even said the absurd words that he would make me empress if I wanted.”

“…”

“Those words were so ridiculous and absurd that I didn’t bother telling Dojin, but now I think I should tell you.”

I raised my gaze that had been lowered and faced Hyuk Dojin. Hyuk Dojin’s black pupils were fixed on me without shaking.

“Lee Jehak said that my Nine Yin Pulse constitution combined with his yang energy would be an elixir that could grow me into a tremendous master. So, he needs to capture me alive. But the Murim Alliance tried to kill me. They tried to take my life while mobilizing numerous masters. Dojin.”

When I called his name shortly, Hyuk Dojin’s eyes opened slightly wider.

“Geum Soso who tried to attack me that day… Dojin’s mother, who sent her? The Black Dao Sect? Or the Murim Alliance? I thought the two groups were walking the same path through an alliance, but thinking about it now, it doesn’t seem to be to that extent. So I thought… Are we thinking wrong?”

“The Black Dao Sect and the Murim Alliance. The two places aren’t perfect allies… Is that what you mean?”

“Yes. And if we think that way, we can understand Geum Soso’s appearance too.”

“Understanding means…”

I calmly opened my mouth while recalling Geum Soso who had attacked me in the dark night that day.

“The reason the Murim Alliance Leader wants to kill me. And the reason he wants to have me even if he has to kill me. It’s not simple greed. It might be related to Geum Soso.”

“What do you mean?”

“That night. The night I was attacked by Geum Soso and bled from my shoulder. Because the situation was urgent and dangerous, other people probably couldn’t see, but before Geum Soso stabbed my shoulder, I precisely attacked Geum Soso’s vital point.”

I tapped my stomach area. Hyuk Dojin’s brows narrowed.

“My sword clearly pierced Geum Soso’s stomach. The Six Viscera-Piercing Point. I tried to take the life of the person who attacked me while giving up my shoulder. But that person didn’t show any pain despite having their stomach pierced by my sword. No blood came out from inside either.”

“What do you mean? That now…”

“She was even leisurely enough to pull out the sword stuck in her stomach with her bare hands and throw it on the ground. Dojin.”

I looked into his eyes and pressed down my voice coldly.

“Can that really… be considered human?”

“But…”

“I know. Dojin saw it directly and even touched it, so you know better than me. But something is strange. I don’t call something that doesn’t feel pain or bleed even when a vital point is pierced by a sword human. And I think the reason the Murim Alliance wants me might be close to this too.”

“…”

I exhaled and tilted my head back. While looking at the ceiling with my back leaning against the wall, I let my voice flow.

“Geum Soso tried to mislead Dojin saying it wasn’t death since he didn’t see her death directly, but if Geum Soso really died and the Murim Alliance Leader has the ability to revive that corpse.”

“What nonsense…”

“It’s nonsense, but if he had that nonsensical ability and revived Geum Soso, and also!”

I looked up at Dojin obliquely. Meeting his shaking eyes, I spoke in a low but forceful voice.

“If he could revive me when I become a corpse…”

“…”

“What attitude would the Murim Alliance Leader take?”

Two people the Young Cult Leader cherishes. Geum Soso and the current me. The Murim Alliance Leader was drawing a big picture.

“He’s trying to swallow up the Demon Cult.”