Chapter 52: Chapter 52

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 come out!"

While the fight continued, Yi Gwangsam had exchanged contact with the trapped people using signals only miners knew.

Seems they could convey meaning through sounds of knocking on tunnels.

"Some 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."

Some martial artists opened the passage with Yi Gwangsam.

The result of rushing work without stopping from outside and inside— immediately after the fight ended, miners and children succeeded in emerging into the central tunnel.

One old man walked out on his own feet though staggering.

Yi Gwangsam approached him.

"Oh. Gwangsam, you succeeded."

"Old Master Dang. Thanks to these people. They rescued the children who went out with me 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 me.

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 me, to me 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 became 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 moment, he opened his mouth again.

"Several miners bought time by setting fires."

"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.

Meanwhile, I turned my eyes to see children receiving separate care over there.

My eyes met one of them.

Perhaps ten years old.

He grinned—just happy to come 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 come 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 harmed related to this matter?

Not only Taebok but countless people could be saved.

Setting aside sentiments—

"Old Master Dang. First come to Luoyang following the martial artists. These people will guide you to a physician. Someone called Jang Huigun—a physician who also treats children well—rest your body there."

"Won't the hero come together?"

"I must go somewhere first. I'll see you again at the physician's."

Dang Yang reached out grasping my sleeve.

"Definitely, definitely come. I have words for you."

While muttering alone—

"Seems the hero should take it anyway..."

Perhaps the treasure map story Yi Gwangsam mentioned.

Though I'm not greedy, can't let it go to the wrong person.

"Yes, I'll definitely come."

At this answer, Dang Yang seemed relieved and released my sleeve.

Leaving him, I headed toward the advance party I'd formed.

"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.

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? Somehow the smile seems different from usual.'

Though Gong Pilsang felt something strange—

"Yes. I visited Merchant Hwang. Since you said last time 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 implemented his words.

Meanwhile, Gong Pilsang swept the desk top. His work documents were up there.

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?"

Gong Pilsang made a gesture of covering his mouth.

Inside, his thoughts differed.

After leaving everything until now, suddenly acting —what wind blew?

"Deputy Branch Leader, but look. Isn't this document content somewhat strange?"

Finding fault after examining documents 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 document with unpleasant feelings.

"Look at this document. The branch purchased an inn at the dock outside Luoyang."

Hwangbo Gak narrowed his eyes watching Gong Pilsang's reaction.

"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.

Hwangbo Gak picked up another document.

"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 document with force in his eyes.

"Yes. That content seems correct..."

Hwangbo Gak and Gong Pilsang's gazes met in empty space.

"These documents you created."

"Contain content of the branch giving Black Path convenience."

"How did this happen?"

With the question, Hwangbo Gak slowly rose.

As if pressed by that momentum, or seeking a good position, Gong Pilsang changed where he stood.

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 meeting his gaze.

Eventually—Gong Pilsang's two hands rose up—

"Hahahaha. Branch Leader! To make such jokes! I also quite love jokes."

"Hahahaha. Weren't they all the Branch Leader's instructions? I merely used my authority to decide."

"Hahahaha, didn't you say to keep weak Black Path within surveillance range, so I did so?"

Hwangbo Gak merely accepted the noisy applause and laughter with a slight smile—binggeut.

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 commercial 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 member sent there said the atmosphere was strange." Latest content publıshed on novel•fire.net

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 me?"

Though startled after saying it, soon forgot.

Right, this is curious.

What really wanted to ask was this.

Against Gong Pilsang's doubt, Hwangbo Gak brought out an answer.

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?"

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 documents."

Hwaaak—thrown documents fluttered.

"Who approved these documents? Budget execution for related matters? Who sent Alliance members 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 scheme for you to escape—"

"As Luoyang Branch's Branch Leader, as Hwangbo Clan member, 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.

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 punishment!"

"If I lower hands, I'll die!"

Gong Pilsang raised inner power.

"Are Gong Clan's Thirteen Techniques easy! Though , refined through generations. Keuk!"

Gong Clan's Thirteen Techniques were somewhat on the easy side.

"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 same 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 moment while living.

"Someone please save meeeee!"

Dumbfounded, Hwangbo Gak added to the divine fist's speed.

The ultimate technique was an ultimate technique.

Kwaaaang—the door burst out as Jin Yeomyeong jumped in.

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.

"Came to get something 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.