Chapter 224: Chapter 224
The minion of the Martial God Cult, whom even the constables and Mount Hua… a pillar of the Nine Sects and One Association that had controlled Shaanxi for a long time… could not find a single clue about, was now standing right in front of them.
The man approached slowly without even a hint of wariness.
His footsteps seemed to suggest he did not care what happened.
Eventually, the man looked at Dan Woo-hyun, assumed a proud expression as if telling him to listen to the words of a benevolent god, and opened his mouth.
“Do you know the Way of the Martial God?”
“Huh?”
Jang Sam-tae wore a dazed expression at the sudden question.
The Way of the Martial God?
The man smiled benevolently as if he knew everything.
“Once, the Martial God descended upon this land to save the lost sheep and show people the path. That is precisely the Way of the Martial God.”
“I… I see.”
Dan Woo-hyun replied, visibly flustered.
His pupils shook, showing that he was quite shocked by the other party’s words.
Jang Sam-tae, feeling he could not let this go on, spoke up.
“About that person called the Martial God. I heard he went around killing everyone? The legend of him being a murderous demon is also widespread, isn’t it?”
Instantly, Dan Woo-hyun glared at Jang Sam-tae.
The men also cast fierce, threatening gazes as if they wanted to tear him to pieces.
Jang Sam-tae flinched involuntarily, but he confidently avoided their gazes as if asking what he had said wrong.
“Ahem, well… just saying…”
“The Martial God did not kill people. He saved their souls. Even while being persecuted by the entire world, he saved them with his benevolent touch.”
“It wasn’t exactly like that, though…”
“It seems you still do not know. Do you have any idea how many people in this world were changed by what the Martial God did? He is the true god who opened the path for us.”
The man looked up at the sky with an ecstatic expression.
Jang Sam-tae wore an incredulous expression.
“I heard he was sealed by the Eight Immortals? Besides, they say he slaughtered tens of thousands of people before that…”
“How dare you! Where do you think you are to bring up the name of the Eight Immortals!”
His voice thundered!
The man shouted angrily, glaring at Jang Sam-tae.
Dan Woo-hyun also nodded as if in agreement. It seemed both the man and Dan Woo-hyun shared the same distaste for hearing the name of the Eight Immortals.
“Many look up to them, but that is a grave misconception! The ones who persecuted and trampled upon the one who saved the world and taught humanity the way of humans were none other than the Eight Immortals!”
“Ah, is that so?”
Jang Sam-tae picked his ear with a look of annoyance and frowned.
They were not in this world anymore anyway, so what did it matter one way or the other?
Neither the Martial God nor the Eight Immortals were of any help to Jang Sam-tae’s life.
“So, why did you come find us?”
“Ahem!”
The man cleared his throat, looking back and forth between Jang Sam-tae and Dan Woo-hyun. Eventually, thinking Dan Woo-hyun would be easier to talk to than the talkative Jang Sam-tae, he smiled faintly and fixed his gaze on him.
“Our Cult Leader said he heard the words of the Martial God in his dream. Furthermore, he said that if it is you, you are surely talents capable of leading the Martial God Cult.”
Hearing those words, Jang Sam-tae wore an absurd look. What kind of nonsense dream did this Cult Leader guy have to make him say such things?
It seemed they lured people in this manner every single time.
It even felt as if they would draw their swords immediately if they were rejected. While the man in front was smiling broadly, the expressions of those behind him were filled with killing intent.
An ordinary person who did not even know martial arts would have shrunk back in intimidation.
Jang Sam-tae glanced at Dan Woo-hyun.
The man, who had been sitting quietly, seemed to be pondering something before nodding slightly.
“Fine.”
“Are you serious?!”
A startled Jang Sam-tae raised his voice.
No matter how he looked at it, it was a scam.
He knew Dan Woo-hyun wanted to catch them, but it might be better to just capture them here, torture them, and make them talk.
‘Is there really a need to follow them?’
Having thought up to that point, Jang Sam-tae saw something. The smirk on Dan Woo-hyun’s face resembled that of a child wanting to play a prank.
There was absolutely no way to stop him now.
Jang Sam-tae clutched his throbbing head.
“Hahaha! What a relief, what a relief. The words of the Martial God are the supreme words of heaven… If you had not complied, it would have been quite troublesome.”
“Indeed.”
“However, there is a condition to join our Martial God Cult.”
“What is it?”
“Those who turn their backs on the mundane world and live solely for the Cult have no need for wealth. They must offer it to the Martial God. If you do so, the Martial God will bear your karma instead, and you will live a life without death, injury, or sickness.”
A look of distress flickered in Jang Sam-tae’s eyes.
All the money they originally had had been thrown away earlier.
It was a situation where they could not go back and pick it up now. The manor in Yueyang was also built without permission, so there was no way they had a deed for it.
As Jang Sam-tae was trying to think quickly, Dan Woo-hyun’s hand reached into his robe.
Soon he pulled his hand out, and a thick stack of bank notes was revealed in his grasp.
Not only Jang Sam-tae but also all the watching men stared in shock.
“You still had some?!”
It was a shout filled with grievance.
“You are loud.”
Dan Woo-hyun frowned and looked at Jang Sam-tae.
His expression showed that his ears were ringing.
But from Jang Sam-tae’s perspective, he could not help but feel deeply wronged.
Since he thought they had no money, he had gone through the trouble of finding a spot, building a fire, and hunting.
All of this was done so Dan Woo-hyun could be a bit more comfortable. It was practically like sacrificing his own body, but to think he had been hiding money in his bosom all along?
As it turned out, there had been no need to camp out in the open in the first place.
Jang Sam-tae shuddered at the sense of betrayal.
“This is all of it.”
“Ahem! I have received your sincerity. I shall inform the Cult Leader of this immediately so that you may formally receive the baptism.”
The man checked each bank note with an awkward expression. He inspected them here and there in case they were counterfeit, but they did not feel crude like fake notes.
“I shall wait.”
They glanced at Dan Woo-hyun, who spoke with a smirk, and turned around with awkward movements. The fact that he did not try to stop them even as they took his money made them feel even stranger.
“Are you not going to stop us?”
“I do not yet know well what the Martial God Cult is… but I do not believe that the actions you perform in the name of the one you believe in are false.”
“Yo… You…”
The man stared silently at Dan Woo-hyun.
“I congratulate you in advance on entering the Cult. You will make a fine follower.”
“Well, thank you.”
Dan Woo-hyun let out a chuckle.
Since that smile resembled the smile of the Martial God he had envisioned in his dreams, the man unconsciously tried to press his palms together toward Dan Woo-hyun, only to freeze and turn away with an awkward expression.
The presence of those who had been moving slowly vanished before they knew it.
“What on earth is this? Do you not even feel it is a waste?”
Once their presence completely disappeared, only then did Jang Sam-tae huff and puff, raising his voice. Since they were in a situation where they had to save every single penny, how frustrating must it be to see him waste money like water?
“Money is something that comes and goes.”
If someone else had said it, it would have been easily acceptable, but hearing such words from Dan Woo-hyun’s mouth made it somewhat absurd.
With a dumbfounded look, he sat down in front of him and muttered.
“What do you plan to do? We might not be able to find them. Should I follow them instead?”
“Do not worry. And lower your voice.”
Jang Sam-tae tilted his head, looking puzzled.
Then he realized something and nodded.
Although Jang Sam-tae felt as if they had all gone back, several of those escorting the man remained behind, guarding the surroundings.
They seemed to be checking whether Dan Woo-hyun or Jang Sam-tae would do anything suspicious.
Since they were on guard so thoroughly in this manner, it was only natural that they could not be easily caught.
“Just what kind of bastards are they to bring up the name of the Martial God like that?”
Jang Sam-tae muttered with a bewildered look.
He would have fully understood if they had claimed to believe in Buddha or some well-known gods instead.
But Dan Woo-hyun’s thoughts were different.
“Humans always tend to harbor admiration for the unknown.”
“Are you saying the name of the Martial God is the unknown?”
“Indeed… for all legends are like that.”
Although there were parts that were somewhat difficult to understand, it was still none other than Dan Woo-hyun speaking. Thus, as he nodded slightly, Dan Woo-hyun’s voice continued.
“Therefore, the name of the Martial God alone is enough to attract attention. The remaining part is how they brainwash them. Since a religion requires blind faith, they will create situations to match it, but…”
To ordinary people, martial arts is no different from the unknown.
Thus, if they were shown something that would make their eyes widen, they would naturally revere him as someone no different from a god.
The Cult Leader likely exploited that very point.
This was because there were more people who had never encountered martial arts than those who had, and when it came to brainwashing, those without internal energy were easier to handle, and cleaning up after them was also much simpler.
“But from your perspective, Master, isn’t it a bit unpleasant? Since you are the descendant of the Martial God… for bastards like them to appear…”
Jang Sam-tae muttered while reading Dan Woo-hyun’s expression. Although he asked as if it were nothing, it was a question that seemed to take Dan Woo-hyun’s status as the descendant of the Martial God for granted, and if he agreed to this, it would soon turn into confirmation.
Ever since he was taught the finger technique under the guise of the Martial God’s martial arts, there was already no need for verification, but Dan Woo-hyun shook his head instead.
Unable to understand the meaning behind it, Jang Sam-tae wore a puzzled look.
“No, actually, I feel rather grateful.”
“Eh?”
“Haha, does it surprise you?”
“Naturally… I cannot understand…”
Dan Woo-hyun nodded.
Of course, anyone would. At the moment he realized they were selling the name of the Martial God, he had felt angry. He was not attached to the name, but having it used for bad deeds was not something to be taken lightly.
If so, why was he in a good mood?
“I thought everyone had forgotten and did not remember, but knowing that someone was remembering is a more amusing feeling than I thought.”
“Pardon?”
Having spoken up to that point, Dan Woo-hyun leaned his back against a tree and quietly closed his eyes. It was unclear whether he intended to sleep or had fallen into some deep thoughts.
So a silence fell for a brief moment.
Jang Sam-tae did not say anything and only read Dan Woo-hyun’s expression.
Since he felt a strange vibe today of all days, it was as if he were looking at someone other than Dan Woo-hyun.
It was then that Dan Woo-hyun opened his mouth.
“However, it seems they do not know how to distinguish between what they should do and what they should not.”
Spitting out those words, Dan Woo-hyun slowly opened his eyes.
His face was indifferent, but killing intent surged in his eyes. The moment he met those eyes, Jang Sam-tae looked away in fright.
His knees shook with fear.
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