Chapter 1075: Who Made a Mistake? (Part 5)

"Hahahahahahaha!"

One bursting into insane laughter, and another bowing their head in despair. There could not be a clearer sight separating winners and losers.

In any situation, ultimately, the attention of the world is drawn to the winner. But at this moment, what captivated the eyes of those present was not Jang Ilso, laughing like a madman, but the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, standing with shoulders slouched in front.

Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, Gong Yawol. The leader of the Black Ghost Castle that perfectly controlled the west of Gangnam. One of the leaders of the Great Five Evils and the representative swordsman of the Evil Sect.

The once splendid name that graced an absolute master was crumbling. The glory and fear associated with that name would be nothing more than a faded memory. After all, Kangho was such a place from the beginning.

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold slowly raised his head. And he looked at Jang Ilso, who was looking down at him. There was no longer any resentment or anger in his eyes. What was left in his eyes was just one question.

"...From the beginning."

As his mouth opened, a hoarse voice flowed out.

"Did you know from the beginning?"

"Of course."

"...How?"

Jang Ilso smiled as if it were ridiculous.

"That's such an obvious question."

It was a voice that was too cold to be the generosity of a winner, and too sharp to be sympathy for the loser.

"Because you are the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold."

"..."

"Do I need more reasons than that?"

Words that could not be considered an answer. But the moment he heard those words, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold simply accepted it.

"...Yeah."

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold laughed bitterly.

"There probably wasn't a need for more reasons..."

If the opponent shows a weakness, stab it. It was so natural for the Evil Sects and even more so for the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold. Looking back, it was such a simple thing...

"...Was it a trap from the beginning?"

"There's no way."

Jang Ilso put a mocking smile on his lips.

"No matter how much I am, I can't predict those Demonic Sect bastards running wild."

"Since then..."

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold looked at Jang Ilso with empty eyes.

"How did you summon the Thousand-Faced Gentleman?"

That was the last question left for the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold. Even if Jang Ilso had anticipated all of this, if the Thousand-Faced Gentleman had not come here in person, such a futile situation would not have happened.

He was cautious. He had repeatedly confirmed whether Jang Ilso had hidden forces in Myriad Man Manor, and approached with the feeling of tapping on a stone bridge to check if Jang Ilso had left any resources behind.

But the arrival of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman from Hao Sect was beyond imagination. It was natural, as the most uncooperative person to Jang Ilso was the Thousand-Faced Gentleman.

Jang Ilso turned his head slightly to look at the Thousand-Faced Gentleman, who had a frightening appearance.

"He's asking you so earnestly, you should at least give an answer."

"It's not difficult, Ryeonjul."

The Thousand-Faced Gentleman replied. It was a subtle voice, not excessive but clearly conveying meaning. When he turned from Jang Ilso, he had a completely different, cold gaze as he looked down at the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold.

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold bit his lips tightly. Even though he knew that man was not Wichung, he still couldn't distinguish by appearance alone. If it weren't for those piercing eyes, he might have believed that the Wichung had betrayed him.

"Why is someone like me who was uncooperative to Ryeonjul... here?"

The Thousand-Faced Gentleman slowly lowered his head.

"That's such a foolish question, Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold. Someone like you wouldn't know. There's no eternal rule in Kangho. Whether one is enemies or friends."

He chuckled.

"And wasn't it you, Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, who pushed me into such a situation when I had no intention of cooperating with Ryeonjul?"

The Thousand-Faced Gentleman clicked his tongue, as if the more he thought about it, the more amazed he became.

"The Evil Tyrant Alliance revolves around the four sects that dominate Gangnam. If the other two lose power, where do you think Ryeonjul's attention will turn? So, I had no choice but to choose. Either oppose Ryeonjul, who will be most vigilant against me from now on... or pledge allegiance."

The Thousand-Faced Gentleman shrugged slowly.

"In the midst of that, Ryeonjul personally called me and generously offered me a seat beside him. What can I do? I have to recognize my own shortcomings and offer allegiance."

"Within you..."

Throughout, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, who had been chewing on his lips, asked with a feeling of spitting blood.

"Was there really none within you? If you could only kill Jang Ilso, you could have reached the pinnacle of the Evil Tyrant Alliance."

The most incomprehensible part was this very aspect.

Even if the Thousand-Faced Gentleman came here with such intentions, Jang Ilso's life must have been in constant danger. If he were the Thousand-Faced Gentleman, he would have waited until Jang Ilso died before ambushing the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold.

While the fate of the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold might have been unchangeable from the moment he entered this place, at least if that were the case, taking Jang Ilso as a companion to the afterlife might have been possible.

"Of course, it was within me. It would be a lie if I said I wasn't tempted."

Even though Jang Ilso was right in front of him, the Thousand-Faced Gentleman stated without hesitation that he had struggled with the idea of risking Jang Ilso's life. And Jang Ilso, in turn, did not show any sign of resentment towards the Thousand-Faced Gentleman for such a statement.

"But why...?"

"If my ambition were greater than yours, would you understand?"

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold looked at the Thousand-Faced Gentleman with eyes that expressed confusion.

"I'm sorry, but I have no desire to go back to the days when we fought each other in the Gangnam land. I've already seen it, that this desolate land, and even that fertile land, is not as good as it seems."

"It can't be yours!"

"What's the problem with that?"

The Thousand-Faced Gentleman casually replied.

"I would rather remain as a ruler than linger as a nobody in this land. It's not a particularly special or strange choice."

His gaze returned to Jang Ilso.

"Besides, the Hao Sect isn't inherently the most suitable place for someone like me to ascend to the top. Information only has meaning when there's someone willing to use it."

"...Heh heh."

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, who had been listening quietly, chuckled as if in self-mockery. While the Thousand-Faced Gentleman was merely stating his position, in the ears of the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, all those words sounded like a reprimand for his inappropriate greed that had provoked anger.

Seemingly understanding that sentiment, the Thousand-Faced Gentleman smiled faintly and added unnecessary words.

"And there was a decisive reason."

"...Reason?"

"If someone must be elevated to the top, it shouldn't be you. My pride won't allow it."

"..."

"Maybe that's the biggest reason."

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold bit his lips. The real reason why the Thousand-Faced Gentleman stuck with Jang Ilso was unknowable. Perhaps it would remain so in the future. The human heart is fickle and unpredictable. Understanding someone's intentions completely is an impossible task from the start.

Nevertheless, Jang Ilso accomplished what the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold could not. That was the most decisive difference that determined the outcome of the confrontation.

The gaze of the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, which had been fixed on the Thousand-Faced Gentleman, shifted to Jang Ilso.

"Did you know about Mount Hua?"

"No way."

"Then...."

Doubt filled the eyes of the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold once again. There were too many questions he wanted to ask. What was the meaning behind their seemingly coordinated actions? How could they not exchange a single word?

But the following words shattered all the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's doubts in an instant.

"You still don't understand, Gong Yawol."

Jang Ilso sneered and opened his mouth.

"Just having those doubts proves that you didn't deserve to be involved in this game. Humans can guess what a dog is thinking, but a dog cannot know what a human is thinking. Understand?"

Those words pierced the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's pride more than any words he had heard so far. It was a denial of everything about him.

All that was left for him was a high-pride defeat. However, now Jang Ilso took away even the last bit of pride remaining for him with a few words.

"Is that so... from the beginning... I didn't deserve it."

Resigned, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold closed his eyes. He turned his gaze towards the direction of Black Ghost Castle, where the disciples he had raised like his own children were. But now, no one was rushing to save him. They just stood there, numbly watching what was happening.

This was a sight he had witnessed countless times before. The only difference was that until now, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold had naturally stood in Jang Ilso's position, and now he was sitting in the places of those he had killed.

What else could be different? Yes... that was it.

"....Kill me."

"...."

"Ending the life of the loser is the right of the winner. I admit defeat. Kill me, Jang Ilso."

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold closed his eyes. Jang Ilso slowly bowed his body, looking at him. His long eyes narrowed slightly.

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold had driven Jang Ilso to the brink of death. If he had taken just one more step, his blade might have reached Jang Ilso's heart. Despite the ultimate defeat, he still deserved recognition.

Nevertheless, at this moment, he discarded all lingering regrets. Despite losing what had been in his hands, he accepted it calmly without resorting to evil.

"Excellent."

Jang Ilso nodded as if in admiration.

"Indeed, Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold."

And he lightly patted the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's shoulder. The touch made the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold flinch slightly.

"There's no reason not to admit it. Gong Yawol, you're different from the mediocre guys I've encountered so far."

At these words, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold slowly opened his eyes and met eyes with Jang Ilso. At the moment of seeing the subtle smile in Jang Ilso's eyes, a faint expectation rose in a corner of his chest. Perhaps...

"So..."

In an instant, Jang Ilso's face twisted cruelly.

"I don't like it."

Jang Ilso's hand grabbed the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's face abruptly. From the fingers that pierced through the skull, a chilling aura spread like the cold wind of the North Sea.

"Ku... Kuaaaah!"

The sudden surge of force made the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold scream in agony. As Jang Ilso looked down at this scene, madness flickered in his eyes.

"That's right... this is how it should be. This is what death is, Gong Yawol. If you've gambled your life and lost, you should die filthy and miserable. You shouldn't pretend to be noble. Understand?"

"Ku... Kuk... Kuk..."

Blood flowed profusely from the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's mouth. His sprawled limbs twitched in convulsions. Just by looking at him, one could tell how much pain he was experiencing.

"Why? Did you briefly harbor hope?"

"Kukuk..."

"You should know it clearly, Gong Yawol. There's no such thing as a good death for people like us. Either live and become a demon or die dirty and miserable. There are only two options. You knew that, right?"

A fierce energy surged in Jang Ilso's eyes.

"So... don't feel too upset about it."

Splatter!

Finally, the head of the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold burst open.

The headless corpse collapsed lifelessly. Who would recall the once powerful Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, the leader of the Black Ghost Castle and a master of the Evil Sect?

Jang Ilso stared silently at the red blood that stained his hands.

"In the end... human blood spilled is all the same. Yours and mine alike."

He casually turned away, and the cold wind of Gangnam swept mournfully over the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's cooling corpse.